Where, oh Where, Do I Find Inspiration?

What the heck happened to September?

Here it is, almost the end of October already, and I’m just getting my act together to post yet another rambling. I really struggled coming up with a topic last month, hoping inspiration would fly in like a glorious winged creature and hit me in the head, but alas, it did not. So this month, it did just that, in the shower as I prepared for work.

And that’s exactly what we’re going to discuss. No, not my shower. Inspiration.

It comes from many things. The woman walking hurriedly past you on the street, her heels clicking furiously on the concrete, could be a character in your next piece. The park you frequented as a child, the one with the enormous willow tree by the pond you used to climb so you could sit in its branches as it gently rocked you, could be a scene.

Sometimes inspiration is a word or sentence. It’s always with me, that dark passenger nagging at me, but I have to fight it. So much can be built off that one line. Are they a murderer, possessed by a demon, struggling with depression – it’s your choice. Words carry weight, too. Debris says so much. It’s destruction and devastation or it’s carelessness and neglect.

History is a great source of inspiration. Whether it’s a battle that was lost or a colony that struggled, but then persevered, there’s a story to be told, even if it’s a little skewed by your telling of it. Want an intriguing and dynamic character? Check out Greek, Roman, and Celtic myths or Native American and African folklore. Building off those are options, too.

I’ve always wanted to write a story like Daimon, having it in the back of my mind since middle school. But, to confess, the story really took shape thanks to Twilight…but also the Harry Potter, Dexter, and Sookie Stackhouse series. When I started reading again, it reignited my desire to write. Then there’s the movie I have to credit, a lovely gem of a cult rock opera called Repo! The Genetic Opera. All it took was one scene in the movie and my burgeoning idea from years ago and Daimon was born. Seems odd, but it really isn’t. See, inspiration from any and everything.

When you’re lacking inspiration, that’s when writer’s block rears its ugly head. Staring at a blank screen, watching that dreaded blinking cursor and wondering what your next word or line will be. Personally, I step away. I go on a quest to find my lost inspiration or something to trigger a new one. On occasion, I’ll work on another piece. Then poof! Writer’s block gone.

So what have we learned? Sometimes, inspiration doesn’t come at you like the great winged creature. It can creep into your brain like a microscopic bug, infesting it and preventing you from sleeping until your get rid of it. Or it’s like a cat, jumping on your lap and curling up as if to stay for awhile. Other times, you have to find it, searching high and low and far and wide. Or you can move on to something else and hope it resurfaces.

Hopefully I’ve help in inspiring you, readers and aspiring writers. Don’t give up, because someday that great winged creature will come flying at you, so be prepared!